Chronic diseases, as the name suggests, are health conditions that last more than 3 months and affect many aspects of an individual’s life. Examples include heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
While there is no guaranteed method to treat chronic health conditions, several strategies can help keep ongoing health conditions under control, allowing individuals to live better and longer lives.
As a crucial aspect of primary care, chronic disease management allows patients to live well with their ongoing medical conditions. Primary care providers, such as family medicine doctors, internists, GPs, etc., can manage chronic diseases in numerous ways.
Let’s discuss how primary care can manage chronic diseases, help patients live healthy lives, and where you can find the best primary care doctors in the Bronx, NY.
Early Detection
Primary care offers regular health checkups as a part of preventive care. These routine visits include several screening tests that enable primary care doctors to catch any early signs of the ongoing conditions before they show symptoms or get worse.
For instance, tests like DEXA bone scans, mammograms, lipid panel tests, blood glucose tests, and blood pressure measurements allow primary care providers to detect the early telltale signs of various chronic health conditions before they progress to more advanced stages. Early detection warrants early treatment and better long-term health.
Personalized Treatment Plan
Primary care is not just focused on identifying a chronic health condition; primary care providers also develop a treatment plan that helps manage and control chronic health conditions. The treatment plan may include medications, lifestyle changes, dietary recommendations, and exercise routines tailored to the patient’s unique health status, age, and needs. The treatment plan is designed to keep chronic health conditions from worsening, allowing patients to live healthier lives.
Regular Monitoring
Your primary care provider understands that patients with chronic diseases must keep their conditions under control to lead a healthy life. Therefore, they recommend regular monitoring through routine checkups and wearable devices.
Regular monitoring of chronic health problems allows primary care providers to assess the progression of the problem, adjust the treatment plan, and prevent complications of ongoing diseases from occurring in the first place.
Patient Education
Patient education is a crucial element of primary care. It allows patients with ongoing health problems to actively manage their ongoing health condition and make informed decisions about their overall health and well-being.
This also enables them to set realistic goals for their health and well-being.
Chronic Disease Management in the Bronx, NY
If you have received a diagnosis of a chronic disease or are at risk of developing it, it’s important to see your primary care provider regularly for early detection and effective management.
At Starling Diagnostics, we take pride in helping our patients in and around Bronx, NY, manage their chronic health conditions through medications, regular monitoring, lifestyle changes, and much more. We also provide our patients with the necessary resources to help them actively manage their ongoing health condition.
For more information about our comprehensive services or to arrange a consultation with our primary care doctors, call our friendly staff today at (718) 319-1610 or fill out our online appointment request form.
